Toddler Attention Span

[Earlybird]

DD is a bright, energetic, curious child of 3.6 - with very little attention span. She asked to paint/draw this morning, and it took me longer to pull everything out/set it up than she spent engaged in the activity. I spoke to her about trying to draw inside the lines, or trying to put several colours on a page (red car, yellow sun, green grass, etc.), but she simply scribbled everywhere in one color, and then asked for another picture to do. Speed and volume of pictures were definitely her priority. On other occasions, she'll ask for a video and then will pull out her toys - so she's not engaged fully in playing with her toys OR watching the video. (Maybe it's a toddler's version of multi-tasking!)

Is there anything that can be done to help develop her concentration so that she will do something for longer than 5 minutes? Or is that simply typical of the age? There are so many stories in the media of attention deficit disorder, or kids who are over stimulated and therefore can't/won't settle into doing anything for any period of time. Is there a way to "train" them to learn to focus?

[Welshmum]

Does your dd like puzzles? I've found that mine will settle to puzzles for ages, it was a revelation. It's also an activity that she likes to do alone while talking to herself. Just a thought....

[linniewith2]

My dd age 2 is a bit of a telly addict so if I want her to concentrate on something I turn it off (removing the plug as she knows how to turn it back on again!) I have found that removing the other stimulation helps her to concentrate, she also loves the wooden puzzles. I have found that printing rarther than straightforward colouring/painting holds her attention longer. you can use anything veg old sponges even hands & feet we did hand & feet pictures yesterday and dd loved it. Hope this helps x

[Earlybird]

Thanks for feedback and suggestions. Welshmum, she does like doing jigsaw puzzles very much, but only if I am right there with her. How old is your dd?

At what age/stage is it reasonable to set them up with an activity, and let them get on with it for more than 5 minutes? Maybe I'm expecting too much? And, maybe I'm to blame for some of the distractions/lapses in concentration, because I admit I am forever saying to her "be back in a minute, I'm just going to start the tea.....put in a load of washing"....etc.

[linniewith2]

If I want her to play on her own I slowly withdraw 1st to sitting close by & watching then on to the sofa & then off in to the kitchen to do the boring stuff